FIA announces World Motor Sport Council decisions

The newly-elected World Motor Sport Council gathered today (9 March) in Geneva for its first meeting of 2018.

The following is a summary of the decisions taken during the meeting:

FIA Formula 3

The selection of Formula One Group as the promoter for the new FIA Formula 3 Championship was approved. This will be an international championship hosted on the FIA Formula One World Championship platform from 2019, based around the following principles:

- An exclusive grid of no more than 30 cars

- Nine to ten events – two races per event

- Single make engine, chassis and tyres

- Cost control to include limited and regulated testing

A completely new car will be designed, including the highest safety standards for this category.

In addition to the two F3 regional championships certified by FIA starting in 2018, in the Americas and Asia, it is anticipated that F3 regional championships will be proposed by ASNs, which will again feature a single-make car with a single-make engine. The ASN will be free to choose from the homologated FIA suppliers, subject to compliance with the FIA regulations and cost guidelines.

The chassis and safety regulations for both the FIA F3 and FIA-certified regional F3 championships will be largely the same.

FIA Women in Motorsport Commission

“The Girls on Track”, the Commission’s most ambitious project to date, was launched at the Geneva Motor Show on 7 March in the presence of Jean Todt, Commission President Michèle Mouton and Ambassador Peter Sørensen, Head of the European Union Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva. The two-year project, which is supported by eight European ASNs, the European Commission, academics at the University of Limoges and Yokohama as a global partner, has been launched to encourage more young women to enter motor sport. Karting slalom events will be hosted in each of the eight partner countries and the selected three drivers from each nation will be invited to a European Final at Le Mans in 2019. From there, six drivers will be selected to form a European Team and will be guided through a training programme by the FIA. In addition to Michèle Mouton, Susie Wolff, Tatiana Calderón and Tom Kristensen are supporting the programme as Ambassadors to “The Girls on Track-Karting Challenge”.

FIA World Endurance Championship

The calendar for the 2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship is updated as follows, with a change of date for the 6 Hours of Fuji event from 21 October 2018 to 14 October 2018:

05 May

Belgium

WEC 6 Hours of Spa‐Francorchamps*

16‐17 June

France

Le Mans 24 Hours*

19 August

Great Britain

6 Hours of Silverstone*

14 October

Japan

6 Hours of Fuji*

18 November

China

6 Hours of Shanghai*

16‐17 March (2019)

USA

1500 Miles of Sebring *

04 May (2019)

Belgium

WEC 6 Hours of Spa‐Francorchamps*

15‐16 June (2019)

France

24 Hours of Le Mans *

*Subject to ASN confirmation

FIA Touring Car

Sporting regulations for the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup were approved. Each race weekend will feature two qualifying sessions and three races.

FIA Formula E Championship

The World Council accepted the cancellation of the final event of the season in Montreal, meaning that the remaining calendar for the 2017/18 season is updated as follows:

17 March 2018

Uruguay

Punta del Este**

14 April 2018

Italy

Rome**

28 April 2018

France

Paris

19 May 2018

Germany

Berlin

10 June 2018

Switzerland

Zurich**

14 July 2018

USA

New York

15 July 2018

USA

New York

** Subject to circuit homologation

The World Council approved the general format for events in the 2018/19 season, with the racing timetable remaining unchanged. Free practice, qualifying and the race will take place over one full day. The qualifying format will follow the principle of the current format, with qualifying group sessions and a Superpole session. The race duration will be approximately 40 minutes with no mandatory pit stops. It will be mandatory for each driver to utilise two different power levels during the race, with the high-power mode resulting in a performance gain of approximately one second per lap while activated. There will no longer be a point awarded for the driver who sets the fastest lap. In its place, a new energy management parameter will be defined and a point awarded to the most efficient driver.

FIA F3 World Cup

The World Council approved the renewal of the contract for the FIA F3 World Cup in Macau for 2018. The FIA will begin the tender process for exclusive tyre and fuel suppliers.

FIA GT World Cup

The World Council approved the extension of the contract for the FIA GT World Cup to be hosted in Macau for 2018.

FIA GT Commission

A process to avoid the creation of GT3 ‘prototypes’ was approved. A minimum production required for GT3 race cars will be enforced – 10 units must be made within 12 months as from the homologation date, and 20 units within 24 months as from the homologation date.

The date and location for the second FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup was approved by the World Council. The event will take place on 2-4 November 2018 in Daiba, Tokyo.

FIA Safety Commission

A small number of amendments were approved by the World Council regarding changes to the Super Licence points table, including the addition of the Formula 3 regional championships certified by FIA. These updates will be available on FIA.com in due course.

FIA Commissions

This was the first World Motor Sport Council to include the two presidents of the two new FIA Commissions. Felipe Calderón, President of the Environment and Sustainability Commission, reported positively on its first meetings which marked a new step forward in the improvement of environmental sustainability across motoring and motor sport. President of the Disability and Accessibility Commission, Nathalie McGloin, gave a presentation on the aims of this new commission which will meet in the near future.

Next meeting

The next World Motor Sport Council will meet in Manila, Philippines, on 7 June.